THE ADVANTAGES OF THE TOBACCO TRADE.
1 IT imploys near two hundred Sail of Ships, from one hundred to five hundred Tuns, and breeds many Marriners.
2. It Vends vast quantities of English Manufactures and other things for Clothing, Building, Furniture, &c.
3. It pays yearly from one hundred thousand, to one hundred and thirty thousand pounds Custom to the King.
4. It is sent from hence to most parts of Europe, and thereby Shipping is imployed, and the stock of the Kingdom increased by return of Money and Commodities.
The Inconveniences that will follow, by laying a greater Imposition are,
1 GReat quantities of Tobacco have been left in Warehouses, for that the Custom, Freight, &c. are more then oftentimes the Commodity yielded.
2. It hath been found by experience, that when the duty hath been more, the Revenue was less, and the Custom Books tells us, that His Majesty hath yearly received more at two pence the pound, then in former times when it was higher.
3. It will discourage the Importation, and incourage the defrauding of the Custom, especially in the Out Ports and Creeks.
4. A new Tax will make it dearer, and so less quantities will be Imported, and will, occasion the cutting of stalks amongst it, which are usually cast away, or sold for little.
5. As the Tobacco Trade hath of late been managed, it hath drawn the whole almost from other Nations.
6. It will incourage the planting of Tobacco in Ireland, Germany, France, and Holland, and put them upon finding out ways to Transport it privately hither to supply the Nation.
7. The Importation being less, the Exportation of our Native Manufactures will be so likewise, and many Families that depend upon them, and sitting Tobacco for Sale, will be ruined.
8. The great Ships built and imployed by the Traders will be laid aside as useless, and no more built for want of imployment, and so Navigation weakned.
9. The Tobacco will be carried into other Nations where the Duties are less, as Holland, Zeland, Hambrough, and Flanders, where it pays not above one half penny per pound, from whence the Planters will be supplyed with all necessaries, or they will be necessitated to leave their own, and go to the Dutch and French Plantations, where they may find better incouragement.
10. Necessity will cause the Inhabitants of the Plantations to turn their Lands to the increasing of Provisions, and imploy their hands in making those Manufactures which they have hitherto been supplyed with from England. 1685.